Is there more than one God? Is Witchcraft real?

[Azakel]

This strikes me as one of those times when it would be helpful to go back and look at the Hebrew word and what it meant during the time.

It refers to necromancy and not all forms of pagan religion.

Judaism has traditionally forbade the practice of witchcraft mostly because it was viewed as a form of idolatry. The Jews did not make a habit of killing Gentiles just because *they* practiced idolatry, however.

One of these days I'm going to have to find the space on the shelf for a Chumash. Not that there isn't a lot more, but it sure beats imagining the English translation as understood in our times has zip to do with the meaning of a Hebrew term used in a context of thousands of years ago.

The Word is [FONT=trebuchet ms,arial,helvetica]m'khashepah and is also means a woman who uses spoken spells to harm others - e.g. causing their death or loss of property. Clearly "evil sorceress" or "woman who does evil magic" would be the most accurate phrases in today's English usage for this verse.(from Exodus 22:18 and Wicca/Witchcraft)
I've also herd a Poisoner to live, but can't really find anything that says that. [/FONT]

 

[MaddLlama]

They are out there. Most call themselves Christian Witches, or Christian Mystics.

It is my personal opinion that they are neither Christian nor witches.

 

[doppelganger]

It is my personal opinion that they are neither Christian nor witches.

Discuss amongst yourselves . . .

Why am I suddenly feeling a little verklempt?

 

[MaddLlama]

Last I checked, I was entitled to my opinion. :sarcastic

That debate is off topic anyway, so I hope that if anyone is going to have a meltdown about it, they'll do it in another thread.

 

[doppelganger]

Last I checked, I was entitled to my opinion. :sarcastic

Huh? That's Linda Richman . . . you know . . . from Cawfeee Tawlk.

Did I just date myself horribly? Honestly, people, throw me a bone here . . .

 

[MaddLlama]

Huh? That's Linda Richman . . . you know . . . from Cawfeee Tawlk.

Did I just date myself horribly? Honestly, people, throw me a bone here . . .

Yes, yes. I know all about that sketch. I am from Long Island, and grew up surrounded by her clones.

 

[lunamoth]

I agree with Booko's take on it...both other gods and witchcraft are condemned because they distract from the covenant made with God. I'm not into the whole 'jealous God' bit, as you all well know. But if God is love, life, the ground of being, anything less than focus on these (anything that distracts from love, life, being) falls short of our potential and so falls short of eternal life.

my take anyways

 

[Pariah]

If you believe there is more than one God, there exists more than one God. If you believe there are no Gods, there will be no Gods.

 

[logician]

If you believe there is more than one God, there exists more than one God. If you believe there are no Gods, there will be no Gods.

So the existence of some god is merely a function of belief?

 

[Pariah]

So the existence of some god is merely a function of belief?

Not objectively, but subjectively.
If one believes in one God, one will see one God in creation.
If one believes in multiple Gods, one will see multiple Gods in creation.
If one believes in no divinity, one will see no divinity in creation.

Our effect on the external world is a function of our belief. Differing beliefs create differing actions. That is the way I view God's existence, the only evidence there is at this point in time. There is no evidence for God either way, in my mind.

 

[gnostic]

I think the Bible says it because for awhile the Hebrews were polytheistic. God/Yahweh was just the chief deity among many gods. It wasn't so much to say that other gods (like of the host) could not be worshiped, but Yahweh must be chief among them.

I hear this idea a lot, but I actually have yet to see anyone come up with some sort of substantiating evidence for the idea.

I see it as evidence in the Flood story of the Sumerian-Babylonian myth, as being the closest connection to that of the Genesis. More so than the Egyptian pantheon and the Egyptian mythology. There very little in common between the Biblical god and the Egyptian monotheistic Aten.

The Sumerian An or Babylonian Anu, is ruler of heaven, or is heaven itself. Enlil brought the flood. And Enki/Ea saved mankind from the Flood, by saving Ziusudra/Atrahasis/Uta-naphistim, the Mesopotamian version of the Biblical Noah.

An/Enlil/Enki are trio of creator gods of Sumer. The Hebrew god exhibited attributes of these 3 gods.

The Sumerian version is older than the composition of the Genesis by roughly thousand year (or possibly more).

I suspect that the Yahweh is amalgamation of these 3 basic original gods.

 

[Mike182]

i'm not at all sure how to go about answering the OP here... seeing as i hold the Bible in no relevance it doesn't matter what it says in it about Witchcraft because i am not part of the covenant with that God. so to me, witchcraft being real because it is mentioned in the Bible is not a basis for belief.

 

[Terrywoodenpic]

Whist I do not believe that there are a plethora of Gods; I do not think Christianity rules out their possible existence.
It is reasonable to believe that there is only one "God Creator". However lesser Gods could exist who would have a range of lesser powers.
I personally do not believe this to be so, but the ancient church seems to be warning us against such gods.

 

[cardero]

Some folks say there is only one true God. If there was only one God, why would the Bible say to have no other God's before him if they did not exist?

Same for Witchcraft, if Witchcraft had no power, why mention it in the Bible?

I can't speak for wiccans but as far as I understand it we are all gods just occupying human suits.

 

[Willamena]

I can't speak for wiccans but as far as I understand it we are all gods just occupying human suits.

My brain keeps trying to reconcile what you say with your avatar picture.

 

[Mister_T]

Some folks say there is only one true God. If there was only one God, why would the Bible say to have no other God's before him if they did not exist?

Same for Witchcraft, if Witchcraft had no power, why mention it in the Bible?

It could have been a metaphor for other religious paths and/or materialism.

 

[doppelganger]

It could have been a metaphor for other religious paths and/or materialism.

It could just generally be a caution against idolatry. "God" imagined as the "God of the Old Testament" can even be an idol. People create "gods" (sometimes in stone, sometimes from words and thoughts) - and then they worship them.

 

[Mister_T]

It could just generally be a caution against idolatry.

That's more or less what I was trying to say. I forgot to add "following" after "for" in there.

 

[Kcnorwood]

There is only one true God.

There is no proof of only one true God. I believe that the God of the bible is jealous & rules out of fear. You can quote all the bible scriptures that you want too but your God is one of many. To each his/her own.

 

[lunamoth]

The more I think about the OP premise, the more interesting it is.

What Rev R is asking seems to be, does reading it in the Bible mean that it is 'real.'